Protect our Children from Second-hand Smoke

National Children’s Day
(Sunday 2 March) is an opportunity for parents and whānau
to focus on protecting children from second-hand smoke says
Quitline.

Research shows that there is no safe level
of exposure to second-hand smoke and those who are exposed
may suffer from many of the same diseases as regular
smokers, such as coronary heart disease, lung cancer, acute
stroke, eye and nasal irritation and nasal sinus cancer.
Children are particularly vulnerable to second-hand smoke
due to their smaller lungs and lower body weight and the
fact that often they do not have the choice to move away
from smoke.

Quitline Chief Executive, Paula Snowden
says: “We can really make a difference to the health and
well-being of children by protecting them from second hand
smoke. We can do this by making our homes and cars smokefree
and calling for the expansion of smokefree areas. It is also
important to be a positive role model and not smoke around
children. This means they are less likely to grow up to be
smokers themselves.”

Quitline’s new pregnancy
service aims to support pregnant women who smoke to quit and
to remain smokefree after their baby is born. An important
component of the service is also ensuring that the pregnant
woman and baby are protected from second-hand smoke.

Smokers looking for support to quit smoking can call
Quitline for free on 0800 778 778 or sign up at
www.quit.org.nz

Last year Quitline helped more than
42,000 New Zealanders on their journey to become
non-smokers. Smokers who use Quitline services are five
times more likely to successfully quit than those who go it
alone.

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